[chirp_users] VX5 trouble
I added a few new repeaters to my Kenwood TM-D710 and wanted to copy them to my Yaesu VX5. Here's my process:
1. Download from radio TM-D710 2. Export to CSV
1. Download from radio VX5 2. Import CSV
So far things worked fine. I successfully imported memories 501-516 from the D710 into memories 201-216 of the VX5 tab in Chirp.
3. Upload to radio VX5.
Now I put the VX5 in memory recall mode and look for memories 201-216. They're not there! However, if I try to create a new memory with the VX5, the VX5 shows those slots are taken.
4. Download from radio VX5
I cloned VX->chirp again to see if the new memories had at least been stored, even if they could not be recalled. They are there. Apparently the VX5's memory recall function just doesn't like something about the bits.
5. Change mode of memory 201 from NFM to FM 6. Upload to radio VX5
Thinking maybe the narrow option was confusing the VX5 (I don't believe it's a narrowband-capable radio), I tried changing NFM->FM to see if it would be able to recall the memory. This time I got CLONE ERROR on the display and the radio appears to be in factory reset condition. I figure I can just restore it to an image I created last week...
7. Open vx5.img 8. Upload to radio VX5
No luck. I got CLONE ERROR on the display, and this in the terminal:
"Clone failed: Radio did not ack block 1"
Maybe the VX5 has failed? Let's try something simple...
9. Download from radio VX5 10. Add memory 1: 146.52 11. Upload to radio VX5
I am able to recall memory 1 as 146.52 in the VX5.
I'm not sure what to try next. I can provide img files if needed.
Tom KD7LXL
Fair warning: I have never laid hands on a VX-5. I wrote the driver purely in speculation and have had reports that it works.
Perhaps the driver is not properly setting some used/empty bit?
No luck. I got CLONE ERROR on the display, and this in the terminal:
"Clone failed: Radio did not ack block 1"
If this happened and then you were able to upload/download it again later, I think it was probably an intermittent cable/connection issue, or some stale data in the serial buffer.
Does this mean add memory 1 where it didn't exist before? If so, that blows my theory above out of the water.
I'm not sure what to try next. I can provide img files if needed.
If I were you, I'd start downloading images, making small changes, downloading more images and doing the binary diff dance. I can do it for you, but it's much (much) harder to do so without hands on the radio. I can help you through it on IRC if you like :)
I just bought a FTDX-5000D and am playing with it exclusivly so I have not checked the VX-5. If you want I can send it (the VX-5 not the FTDX-5000) to you for your perusal. For all you have done I'll be happy to ship it and pay for the shipping both ways. I have the cord to program it also somewhere around here. My wife wants me to clean up the shack to repaint it and make it into a room fitting for a 6500.00 radio and accessories. She told me to buy the radio so I have to go along with cleaning up the joint. Steve
On 3/7/2012 9:37 AM, Dan Smith wrote:
On Wed, Mar 7, 2012 at 09:21, Dan Smith dsmith@danplanet.com wrote:
Just a little follow-up for the list: I've determined the factory reset and CLONE ERRORs were due to a bad cable/connection (as Dan has mentioned in the past, this Yaesu 4-pin connector can be flaky). I still have not figured out why the half-deviation memories don't show up on the radio, but I plan to investigate that as soon as I get cloning to and from my VX5 working again. No need to worry about resetting your radio, as long as you have a good cable :)
Tom KD7LXL
On Tue, Mar 6, 2012 at 20:28, Dan Smith dsmith@danplanet.com wrote:
Fair warning: I have never laid hands on a VX-5. I wrote the driver purely in speculation and have had reports that it works.
Ok, my guess is I'm using more or different features than any of the previous testers (of they would have had this problem too!)...
Possibly. My hunch is that there is some other sort of read error on the memory, so it's skipping the whole channel. I've been using Chirp for quite some time with the VX5 and the first time I had this problem was also the first time I tried programming a NFM / half-deviation memory.
I'll clarify: After this point, I was never able to successfully upload my previous img (180+ channels programmed). I was only able to upload a new mostly blank img. Neither my "backup" image from last week, or my newer one with the NFM channels will load, only the mostly blank image (I need to try adding thing to the empty image to see if/when it breaks).
It means a blank image with only slot #1 programmed.
I definitely need to do some in-depth poking. The first thing I'd like to confirm is the half-deviation bit. All I know is that I've been using Chirp for months successfully, and now have catastrophic failure after using the half-deviation feature for the first time :)
To the innocent bystanders on the list: I would avoid using the VX5's NFM / half-deviation mode with Chirp until I research this a bit more. Or, if you're adventurous, try it and report your findings!
Tom KD7LXL
That's not likely the case, as the yaesu radios use a checksum at the end to make sure that the image was received entirely. Further, if they try to read a block that never comes, they'll NAK the transfer and bail.
Okay, from my experience, the yaesu radios will accept whatever garbage you send them and only do minor checking at the very end (like the checksum). Icom radios will barf as soon as you send them even a slightly incorrect block.
Lets move the technical discussion over to chirp_devel to avoid boring folks with talk of bits and bytes. Certainly usage reports are welcome here, though.
Thanks!
participants (3)
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Dan Smith
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Stephen Black
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Tom Hayward